Preparation Process

for First Year Applicants

High School Education

While the Committee on Admissions is most interested in the quality of a student's work, general promise, and seriousness of purpose, it is recommended that secondary school preparation include: a full program in English, a minimum of two years of social studies, language study, and mathematics and one year of natural science.

Math or Science Concentration. Students who plan a concentration in mathematics or science should include four years of mathematics and at least three years of science.

Nursing Program. Nursing Program. Candidates for the nursing program should include at least three years of mathematics, and one year each of biology and chemistry.

Business Program. Students interested in The McDonough School of Business should complete a minimum of three years of math, through advanced algebra and trigonometry, as calculus is required of all students in the program. Two years of natural science are recommended. Because computers are used extensively in the curriculum, a course in computer science is highly recommended.

Language or Foreign Service Program. Students interested in the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics or the Walsh School of Foreign Service are recommended to have a background in a modern foreign language or Latin.

Advanced Placement Credit

Georgetown participates in the College Board Advanced Placement Program and awards course exemptions and college credit to entering students with qualifying scores. Applicants who seek advanced placement because they have taken one or more of the Advanced Placement Examinations should have the examination results sent to the Advanced Placement Coordinator in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions during the summer prior to enrollment. Requests for Advanced Placement credit are reviewed individually. Georgetown's Advanced Placement Examination Policy reflects the different graduation requirements of the four undergraduate schools by making awards based on the student's school and major. The Georgetown Undergraduate Bulletin provides the most current information regarding the awarding of AP and IB credit.

Students taught college-level courses by high school faculty are not eligible for credit in those courses, but are encouraged to take the Advanced Placement Examinations in order to be considered for credit. Students who have had occasion to take one or two regular college courses while in high school should submit an official college transcript for evaluation prior to enrollment.

Dual Enrollment Credit

Students who are enrolled in joint high school/college programs (taking college courses on college campuses while working concurrently for high school and college credit) are advised to apply as first year students, but should not expect credit for more than four courses. Participation in such programs will not significantly shorten the length of a degree program at Georgetown.

International Program Credit

Transfer credit will be awarded for the French Baccalaureat, the Italian Maturita, the Swiss Maturite, the German Abitur, and the British A-Levels. Up to a year credit is awarded for subjects in which students have taken a national or state examination. Language credit is awarded based on placement. Final credit will be determined by the program in which students matriculate and upon departmental review.

Students pursuing the International Baccalaureate must receive grades of 6 or 7 for credit transfer. Credit is awarded only for higher level subjects. Language credit is awarded based upon placement.

Other international high school programs and diplomas will be evaluated for transfer credit on a case by case basis.

Test Requirements

We recommend sitting for the SAT or ACT in the spring of junior year and fall of the senior year. We do not find that taking these tests more than two times or using a test preparation company to be useful in increasing the likelihood of admission.
Georgetown maintains a holistic review process with a focus on success in your high school curriculum as the foundation of a competitive application. Please plan on taking either the SAT or ACT and three SAT Subject Tests for submission with your application.

Georgetown University does not participate in the Score Choice option available through the College Board. Georgetown requires that you submit scores from all test sittings of the SAT, ACT, and SAT Subject Tests. Georgetown evaluates thousands of competitive applicants each year for admission; access to your full testing profile enables the admissions committee to fully and fairly assess your individual strengths in comparison to the entire applicant pool.

SAT - Georgetown's SAT code is 5244. Georgetown only considers the critical reading and math portions of the SAT, not the writing section. If an applicant takes the SAT more than once, the admissions committees will consider the highest critical reading score and the highest math score from multiple test sessions when reviewing the application.

ACT - Georgetown's ACT code is 0668. Georgetown accepts the ACT in lieu of the SAT. Applicants who take the ACT more than once will have their highest composite score considered in the evaluation process. The optional writing section on the ACT is not required, nor is the writing subscore used in the application review process.

SAT Subject Tests - It is strongly recommended that all candidates, whether they have taken the SAT Reasoning Test or the ACT, submit three SAT Subject Tests scores. The scores from writing portion on the SAT Reasoning Test and the optional writing portion of the ACT will not be used in place of a Subject Test.

*Notice to Early Action Applicants:
Given the Early Action deadline of November 1, the Committee on Admissions recognizes that applicants may not be able to meet the SAT Subject Test requirements. Those candidates are welcome to submit an Early Action application, and the application will be considered complete and reviewed in its entirety. Candidates applying under the Early Action plan who have not yet taken three Subject Tests should still register to take the tests in the event they are deferred from Early Action to Regular Decision. If there are extenuating circumstances which prevent an applicant from submitting three SAT Subject Test scores, the applicant should provide a written explanation to the Committee on Admissions to be included with the application.